Women in Focus, Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit organization with no paid staff. Each year, we give away all the proceeds received from donations and from the “I have a Dream” Ball as scholarships. Then each year we start our fundraising again from scratch! This is why we very much welcome your interest in giving! Donations are 100% tax deductible!
Please indicate on the memo line of your check either the Scholarship Fund or Endowment Fund. Undesignated funds will go to the Scholarship Fund.
Alternatively, you can donate electronically at the bottom of this page.
You can choose to donate to our WIF Scholarship Fund or our WIF Endowment Fund. Money donated to the Scholarship Fund will be given out in the next round of scholarships. Donations to the Endowment Fund will be sent to the WIF account at the Madison Community Foundation. The Endowment will fund scholarships in the future in perpetuity!
WIF Scholarship Fund
If you want your donation to be given out immediately as part of a scholarship, this is the right fund for you! Your funds will be pooled with other donations and will be used for scholarships in the next scholarship cycle. Your donations for the Scholarship Fund are welcome at any time throughout the year. All donations are 100% tax deductible.
Forever Fund
In 2011, Women in Focus established the WIF Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Madison Community Foundation. This is our permanent Forever Fund. The interest and growth of the assets will be used for WIF scholarships, while the principal will remain invested and continue to generate income for scholarships in perpetuity.
We are pleased to have the assistance of the staff of the Madison Community Foundation as we grow the Forever Fund. By making a gift to the Forever Fund now, our donors are providing college scholarships for students of color in the future in perpetuity. Your help now is so powerful!
Pledges to the Forever Fund: We will be very pleased if you decide to make a recurring donation. If you want to give $25.00 a month, you can complete a simple form to authorize the Madison Community Foundation to make an electronic funds transfer from your account to the Forever Fund. Please contact info@womenfocusmadison.org for more information.
Forever Fund Giving Levels:
| $1-$250 | Benefit Contributor |
| $251-$499 | Award Contributor |
| $500-$999 | Dream Contributor |
| $1000-$1999 | Destiny Contributor |
| $2000-$4999 | Tribute Contributor |
| $5,000-$44,999 | Trophy Contributor |
| $45,000 + | Legacy Contributor* |
Gift Ideas: Put a donation to the WIF Forever Fund on your birthday gift list, your holiday gift list, your anniversary or thank you gift list. This is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Honoring Gift Program: Contributions at any level can be made to the Forever Fund in honor of an individual, perhaps a parent, sibling, child or friend. You and the person who is being honored will both receive our lovely acknowledgement card, and both your names will be listed in the Forever Fund’s List of Contributors.
Gifts of Appreciated Securities or Mutual Fund Shares to the Forever Fund: You may receive very favorable tax savings. You can immediately deduct the entire value of the gift and you are exempt from paying capital gains on the appreciation of the assets that are donated. Please contact Madison Community Foundation at 608-232-1763 to discuss these donations to the WIF Forever Fund.
Bequests in Wills to the Forever Fund: It is easy to add a bequest to the WIF Forever Fund to your will. Sample Bequest Language: “I give, devise and bequeath $5000 to the Madison Community Foundation for the Women in Focus Scholarship Endowment (Forever Fund).” “I give, devise and bequeath 100% of my shares of Facebook stock to the Madison Community Foundation for the Women in Focus Scholarship Endowment (Forever Fund).” Contact your attorney to update your will to benefit the WIF Forever Fund!
Life Insurance/Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designation:List Madison Community Foundation for the Women in Focus Scholarship Endowment (Forever Fund) as your sole beneficiary or as one of several beneficiaries on your life insurance policy or retirement plan. The time to do this is right away!
Charitable Gift Annuity: If you want to receive monthly payments during your lifetime from an asset, and give the remainder to the Women In Focus Forever Fund and receive a tax benefit, a charitable gift annuity is for you! Contact Ann Casey of MCF with any questions at 608-232-1763.
Gift of Real Estate: Gifts of real estate may include a house, apartment building, farm, vacation home, commercial building or land. Real estate can be given outright, or through a bequest in your will. A gift of real estate that you have owned for more than one year entitles you to a tax deduction for the full market value of the property and exempts you from paying capital gains tax. Gifts of real estate typically require procedural steps such as a site visit to the property, a qualified appraisal, a title report, and an environmental assessment. Contact Ann Casey of MCF with any questions at 608-232-1763.
Tax-deductible charitable contributions to WIF in 2021
Do you have a traditional IRA?
Are you over 70.5 years old?
In 2021, individuals over 70.5 years old must take a required minimum distribution amount from their IRAs. This RMD amount is considered taxable income and will increase the amount of income tax due on 2021 tax returns.
However, you can avoid paying income tax on your RMD by contributing all or part of your RMD directly to a qualified charity like Women In Focus, Inc. If you contribute to WIF directly from your RMD by December 31, 2021, your contribution amount (up to $100,000) will be excluded from your income for income tax purposes. This occurs whether or not you itemize.
To receive your tax break, first discuss with your financial advisor. Then direct your IRA administrator to send a check from your RMD funds directly to Women In Focus, Inc., PO Box 44013, Madison WI 53744. Your contribution will really help the WIF Scholarship Program, while keeping your income taxes down!
For info or inquiries, please contact the WIF Scholarship Funding Committee, by email: info@womeninfocusmadison.org